"You intend to make a move against Senior Ling!"
Upon hearing the Red Dragon King's words, Wu Zhi's eyes widened in alarm.
"This person killed the Fourth Hall Master of my Red Dragon Hall, the elders of the Heavenly Azure Sect, and annihilated the Snow King Palace. He treats all the powerful figures of the Upper Azure Realm as if they were nothing. Should such a monstrous criminal not be attacked by everyone!"
The Red Dragon King sneered.
Other powerful figures also exuded intense killing intent.
Sects like the Silver Feather Sect and the Evil Moon Palace had grievances with Ling Fan to varying degrees.
Therefore, with the Heavenly Azure Sect and Red Dragon Hall taking the lead, they naturally responded enthusiastically.
Wu Zhi's entire body trembled with fear.
He said, "My lords, I understand your desire to deal with Ling... Ling Fan, but have you considered whether you can succeed? He just destroyed the Snow King Palace! Have you not considered how he will deal with you if you fail to defeat him!"
"Ridiculous! With the combined might of our Upper Azure Realm, we cannot deal with a mere upstart from the lower realm? I estimate this person's strength is at most equivalent to a Great Accomplishment King, and how many Great Accomplishment Kings have we mobilized to deal with him this time?"
"Not to mention that we have all sorts of earth-shattering trump cards. With all our hidden cards revealed, even if he were a true Core Formation Realm Martial Venerable, we would surely make him bleed in the Upper Azure Realm!"
"Besides, do you really think the Snow King Palace was annihilated by him?"
The Red Dragon King wore a smile of unfathomable depth.
"Although the Snow King Palace was destroyed by him, it was mainly due to their hasty engagement and lack of preparation. It does not mean this person can truly crush the Snow King Palace."
"Moreover, I had you go undercover by his side precisely to ascertain the exact time of his wife's tribulation."
"When he is fully occupied assisting his wife through her tribulation and cannot attend to anything else, we will launch a thunderous strike against him. How can we not easily eliminate him!"
The Red Dragon King's confident smile suggested everything was under control.
"Red Dragon King, your stratagem is brilliant!"
"This person is already a fish on a chopping block, doomed to destruction."
"Heh heh, in about a month, the Suspended Sky Gate should open. At that time, we will hang this person's head outside the Suspended Sky Gate, letting the ants in the outside world know this is the consequence of defying the Upper Azure Realm, as a deterrent!"
The powerful figures of the Upper Azure Realm said with satisfaction.
"Wu Zhi, weren't you just gloating in your success? Show us more of your smugness!"
The Sect Master of the Soul Chasing Gate, Duan Po, walked up to Wu Zhi with a grin and slapped his face.
"You heard what the Red Dragon King said, right? Your life still has some value now. If you dare to refuse, today will be your death day, and everyone in your Four Symbols Sect will be annihilated. Consider it yourself."
Wu Zhi's face turned red, and he glared at Duan Po's detestable face.
"Damn it! Duan Po, you old schemer, you dared to set a trap for me! Just you wait!"
Wu Zhi cursed Duan Po in his heart.
But then he took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to punch Duan Po in the face.
"A wise man knows when to yield!"
Wu Zhi lowered his head deeply and said, "Red Dragon King, Heavenly Azure King, Wu Zhi's worthless life is yours to command!"
"I have long disliked this Ling Fan. The only reason I worked for him was under duress and temptation. I am, after all, the dignified Sect Master of the Upper Azure Realm. If not for my inferior strength, why would I have willingly degenerated and submitted to him!"
"In truth, my heart has long yearned for your lords to come and uphold justice for me!"
"Now that this opportunity has finally arrived, how dare Wu Zhi continue to be a lackey!"
"My lords, rest assured, upon my return, I will ascertain the precise time of his wife's tribulation and report it to you. At that time, when you receive my signal, we will ensure this scoundrel is utterly destroyed!"
Wu Zhi spoke.
But in his heart, he planned to report to Lord Ling as soon as he returned to the Four Symbols Sect.
The Upper Azure Realm was planning to join forces against Lord Ling. This was an unprecedented crisis. If they were not careful, the Four Symbols Sect would perish along with Ling Fan.
"Good, a wise man adapts to circumstances. Sect Master Wu, it is not too late for you to mend your ways."
The Red Dragon King nodded slightly.
"It is all thanks to the timely rescue by the Red Dragon King. Little Wu will forever remember your and the lords' great kindness! Little Wu kowtows to you."
Wu Zhi said with a fawning smile.
Duan Po, seeing this, felt displeased and snorted, saying sarcastically, "You are fickle and untrustworthy! Your words sound good, but I fear you will immediately inform that Ling Fan upon your return!"
Wu Zhi glared at Duan Po, indignantly saying, "Old ghost Duan, how can you slander me out of thin air! Am I that kind of person! Trust those you employ, and doubt those you don't. My lords, if you do not trust Wu Zhi, then kill me now! Although Wu Zhi's strength is low, he still has integrity!"
Duan Po remained silent with a cold smile.
The Red Dragon King appeared thoughtful.
Tian Cangzi suddenly said, "This matter is simple enough."
He pointed a finger at Wu Zhi, and immediately a stream of greyish-blue light shot out, flashing into Wu Zhi's forehead and disappearing.
Wu Zhi felt an extremely cold and dangerous aura invade his body. His limbs instantly went numb, leaving him unable to do anything but let the grey light roam freely within him.
"Lord Heavenly Azure King, what... what is this!"
Wu Zhi's voice trembled with fear.
"This is the Heavenly Slaughter Talisman of my Heavenly Azure Sect. Once planted within your body, your life will henceforth be under the control of my Heavenly Azure Sect. With a single thought, I can let you live, or with a single thought, I can instantly obliterate your body and soul!"
"Therefore, you had better not be two-faced with us, or even an immortal cannot save you."
"However, you can rest assured. As long as you cooperate with us in killing this Ling Fan, I will remove this talisman for you and restore your freedom."
Tian Cangzi said indifferently.
"Heavenly Slaughter Talisman!"
Wu Zhi felt as if he had been doused with a basin of ice water from head to toe.
He wailed inwardly, "It's over, it's truly over!"
"Yes! Wu Zhi dares not act presumptuously."
He said with a bitter smile.
...
Wu Zhi left the Soul Chasing Gate in a daze.
He didn't even know how he returned to the Four Symbols Sect.
In the main hall.
Wu Zhi's spiritual energy churned.
Deep within his body, a palm-sized spiritual talisman exuding a terrifying killing aura floated. No matter how Wu Zhi's spiritual energy surged, the talisman remained unchanged.
Even more so, a sharp and unparalleled killing intent erupted from this talisman, tormenting Wu Zhi to the point of near death, his body instantly drenched in cold sweat.
At that moment.
Wu Zhi truly experienced the feeling of death.
"It cannot be dispelled... Tian Cangzi is a Great Accomplishment King. The Heavenly Slaughter Talisman he planted is beyond my ability to refine!"
Wu Zhi greedily gasped for air, a bitter expression on his face.
"Must I really betray Ling Fan according to their wishes..."
"Doing so might spare my life, but... these prominent figures from the Upper Azure Realm will always treat me as a mere pawn to be ordered around and manipulated at will."
"If they tell me to go east, I cannot go west. If they tell me to go west, I cannot go east. They might even force me to eat excrement, and I would have to comply!"
"Because they are strong, and I am weak! This is my original sin!"
"They have me figured out. Because I fear death, they believe that as long as they plant the Heavenly Slaughter Talisman on me, I will obediently do their bidding."
"But..."
"But after I latched onto Ling Fan's coattails, I have experienced what dignity truly means. I even saw a glimmer of hope... the hope of becoming a true prominent figure in the Upper Azure Realm."
"This hope will not be given to me by the Red Dragon King or Tian Cangzi. They will only suppress me, maintaining their dominant position in the Upper Azure Realm."
"If I do as they say this time, then perhaps for my entire life, the people of the Four Symbols Sect for generations to come will have no chance to rise up!"
Countless thoughts flashed through Wu Zhi's mind.
Gradually.
A look of determination appeared in his eyes.
He would take a gamble!
...
Outside the forbidden area where Ling Fan and Lan Xueyi were in seclusion.
Wu Zhi suddenly knelt down.
"Wu Zhi requests an audience with Lord Ling!"
Toad, who was guarding the forbidden area as per Ling Fan's instructions, squatted on the ground, bored.
It didn't know where it had caught a quasi-Giant Spirit Realm demon snake and was chewing on it with a mouth full of bloody gore.
Seeing Wu Zhi arrive, it squinted and said, "Old Wu, why are you here? Lord Ling already gave instructions that no one is allowed to approach without his command."
"I have extremely important matters to report to Lord Ling, of utmost urgency."
Toad tilted its head.
It was contemplating what kind of move would be cooler to kick Wu Zhi away.
Just then.
Ling Fan's faint voice echoed from above the man and the toad.
"Enter."